There were three crosses that day.  The Man nailed to a cross-piece on the central pole was Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God, Messiah (Christ).  The men impaled either side were rebels.  How they rebelled we do not know, but the original word indicates that they set out to get what they could for themselves.  They were caught in their misdeeds, sentenced and then hung in agony suffering the punishment they deserved.  Jesus, however, had done nothing wrong but set out to take the punishment that we deserved.  

The board nailed above Jesus' head, written in three languages said, 'JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS' (John 19:19).  That was not just a description of Jesus but a criminal charge.  Treason.  Pilate saw the feuding of the country's spiritual leaders against Jesus as yet another internal religious argument, but their evidence gave the governor enough grounds to condemn Jesus for treason against Caesar.  Yet it was only partly the truth: Jesus was certainly the anointed One of Israel (Acts 4:27), but He was also the King of Kings (1 Timothy 6:13-16).  So, it was Caesar's responsibility to submit to Christ, not vice versa.

The defamation of the Son of God was not only legal, but very personal.  Jesus was prophesied to be 'numbered with the transgressors' (Isaiah 53:12) - not just a part of the headcount of three executions that day, but He was counted to be a transgressor because 'He bore the sin of many' (Isaiah 53:12).  The insults hurled at Jesus came from rebel hearts – free men but bound in sin.  Public ridicule added insults to His injuries, and yet He was dying for their sins too.  Misquoting Scripture (a Satanic hallmark), they continued to mock His resurrection claim (John 2:19-22), assuming that it was the nails that held Him to the cross.  However Jesus was choosing the suffering because He loved them!

The ridicule of Christ and His followers has continued ever since.  Now that there is little fear of God in many cultures, it's considered better that Jesus is marginalised to the outdated traditionalists or the eccentric enthusiasts.  But when His claim to be King is inescapable, derision in its many forms is thought to put Him in His place.  But His place is to be King; and our place is to worship and obey Him.  To do so brings blessing to us and glory to Him.  Refusal brings judgement - the very thing that the death of Jesus was designed to save us from.  Every time we consider the cross it is a challenge to personal holiness and discipleship, as well as to tell others – some of whom may well still be ridiculing the Saviour who loves them.